Leeds United are on break for the international fixtures. For one of Daniel Farke’s summer signings, it’s a good chance to get in some match practice.
Leeds United find themselves in 12th place of the Premier League table for the September international break, with four points from their opening three games of the season.
It’s a steady start for Daniel Farke’s side. But there’s a dim mood among supporters after Leeds United’s deadline day disaster which saw them fail to sign a new player in the final day of the window.
Farke didn’t get that all important 11th summer signing. A new attacker was wanted ahead of the window shutting with Farke saying that Leeds United would target attacking signings on deadline day.
None signed, of course. But Leeds United still have a well-stocked squad and some players, albeit attackers, who are yet to really get underway at the club. One such player is Jaka Bijol.
- READ MORE: Chris Sutton was wrong about Leeds United but make or break test is up next for Daniel Farke
Jaka Bijol insists he will come good for Leeds United
Bijol is among the Leeds United players on international duty this month. The towering centre-back is away with Slovenia who play World Cup qualifiers against Gabriel Gudmundsson’s Sweden on Friday, and then against Switzerland on the Monday evening.
Speaking with Slovenian outlet Planet Nogomet ahead of the game against Sweden, Bijol spoke about his start to life at Elland Road, having only played in Leeds United’s Carabao Cup defeat against Sheffield Wednesday so far.
Bijol said: “Two games on the bench is no big deal. I haven’t had a real chance to earn minutes at Leeds yet. Give me a little more time to show what I can do.”
- READ MORE: Chris Sutton was wrong about Leeds United but make or break test is up next for Daniel Farke
| Jaka Bijol’s career stats | Games | Goals | Assists |
| CSKA Moscow | 96 | 7 | 8 |
| Udinese | 95 | 5 | 4 |
| Hanover 96 | 31 | – | – |
| Rudar Velenje | 30 | 3 | 3 |
| Leeds | 1 | – | – |
Jaka Bijol handed worrying verdict after Leeds United debut
Whilst Farke’s Leeds have made a steady start in the Premier League, they’ve already been dumped out of the Carabao Cup, and by a very makeshift and youthful Sheffield Wednesday side too.
It was a woeful performance from the Whites, summed up by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s nightmare debut for Leeds United. But talkSPORT pundit Sam Matterface thinks Bijol was poor on his debut for the club too.
Speaking after the game, he criticised Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw who also debuted that night. Matterface said: “Leeds played a lot of first-team players. They played the two brand-new centre-half signings, Bornauw and Bijol, who had a terrible evening, by the way.
“Both of them looked pretty bad. They looked slow. They looked as if it’s going to take them a little bit of time to get up to the speed of the Premier League.”
Bijol though doesn’t seem phased. Like he says, he’s not had a proper run out yet. He might be a player better-suited to the technique of the Premier League than, say, the youthfulness and the agility of that Sheffield Wednesday side.
Playing with Slovenia will keep him fit and hopefully give him some confidence to return to Leeds United and force his way into the starting XI.
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